GAA: GAVIN CUMMISKEYfinds the soldier delighted Kilkenny will have their best men on the field this time out

IN THE art of speaking without saying anything, clichés are the man’s tools. Eoin Larkin is spraying them out across the table. As is his right: the 2008 hurler of the year has been down this road many times before.

Of course it is different this time. Tipperary are the empire that now needs toppling. He doesn’t blink. Five in a rows never concerned him. Just winning the next one and the one after that.

A slightly horrified look crosses his face when the sending off against Dublin in the National league final is brought up.

Larkin accepts he retaliated, deserved to be red-carded and now seeks to move on.

Kilkenny players and management, to a man, are at pains to stress this was not a watershed moment in their campaign. Maybe they will tell us more if Tipperary are conquered on Sunday. Larkin was gone early; Richie Power and Henry Shefflin played no part in the game.

The rest seemed like haunted men when clapping Dublin up the steps of the Hogan Stand four months ago. They knew a chance at redemption would come before the summer was out.

But standards had undoubtedly dropped. Not that they are admitting it – not that they had to.

“We don’t really have a standard we expect of ourselves,” said Larkin. “Every game is different. Things are going to work out different every game. Once we keep winning that’s the main thing.”

Move on to July 3rd. Snippets from a Leinster final that some felt would be the moment the legs would buckle.

How wrong those people were. Ten minutes gone and young Paul Murphy wrestles his way clear of Dublin’s half-forward line and finds Michael Fennelly. The midfielder barely glances up before launching the sliotar in to Larkin. He breaks it for Colin Fennelly, the now injured younger brother. It comes back to Larkin, who strides forward before smashing home the opening goal.

Four minutes later there came further confirmation of the returning triumvirate’s importance. Shefflin wins a dirty ball and finds Larkin, who gives it back to Shefflin, who finds Power. The point makes it 1-4 to 0-2.

Dublin are reeling. The league final seems like a dream.

Before Dublin catch breath Larkin runs a decoy as Tommy Walsh, Shefflin, Michael Fennelly and Power all combine to put Collie Fennelly scampering down the end line. Goal.

The game is barely still up for debate on the half-hour mark when Larkin’s flick of the wrist pushes the margin past the point of no return. A seven-point Kilkenny lead.

In many respects, the league final was a mirage. With Larkin, Power and King Henry, anything is possible from Kilkenny. Their scoring return is immense but it is the trio’s work-rate that makes them what they are.

Larkin is asked if the Kilkenny forwards’ famed industry off the ball had dropped in the league final. “I think possibly it did. I think over the last year it did drop off a small bit. All the forwards in training have to up it a small bit more.”

The soldier went off on a tour of duty three years ago for six months. He came back and became hurler of the year. The chance has arisen again this winter but at 27, his best hurling years are ahead.

“I was going to go to the Lebanon there in November but I pulled out of it.”

For how long? “Six months.” “Aw, I wouldn’t be back until May so I will give it a miss. I will have to do it at some stage but there is no pressure, really.”

He recently forced himself to watch last year’s final. A sleepless night followed. What about the 2009 game?

“Naw, never watched it. Sure I knew the ending.”